Post Tagged with: "ACSEHT#"

Two ACS Students Receive $1,000 Scholarships from Carson Scholars Fund

10th grader Evangelina Kim, left, and 6th grader Malena Meyer, right, are proud recipients of $1,000 scholarships this spring from the Carson Scholars Fund.

The Carson Scholars Fund recently announced that two ACS students — 10th grader Evangelina Kim and 6th grader Malena Meyer — have each been chosen to receive $1,000 scholarships for college. The Fund, headquartered in Maryland, was founded by world-renowned Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurosurgeon Benjamin S. Carson, M.D. and his wife, Candy.

In a letter to ACS, Rachel Brown, the Scholarship Director of the Carson Scholars Fund, said the students were selected “because their academic achievements and community service make them stand out as a future leader.” Students selected are required to have a minimum 3.75 GPA and display humanitarian qualities by being actively involved in community service in school, at home, or in their neighborhood.

For Evangelina, this was her first year to receive a Carson Scholars Fund scholarship. Her nomination was submitted by ACS to the Fund in December and was supported by recommendation letters from teachers and staff members. For Malena, this was her second year to receive the scholarship, based on her continuing record of academic excellence and community service activities. Malena was the first ACS recipient of the scholarship in early 2021.  According to the Fund guidelines, once a student is named a Carson Scholar he or she is eligible to apply for scholar recognition in future years and can receive additional scholarship awards.

10th grader Evangelina Kim was recently selected as a 2022 Carson Scholars Fund and will be eligible to apply for additional annual scholarships until she graduates from high school.

Evangelina and Malena are among more than 10,000 gifted students from across the United States that have been named Carson Scholars since the Fund’s creation in 1994. Evangelina, Malena, and their families have been invited to attend an awards ceremony this May at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. ACS will soon receive a nameplate with Evangelina’s name to place on a Carson Scholars Fund trophy that is on display in the school office, where Malena’s name is already displayed.

Evangelina’s scholarship application described a variety of community service activities, including coaching a basketball program at a kids camp last summer at her church, New Life Assembly of God Church in Egg Harbor Township. A talented singer and pianist, Evangelina has also been part of a youth group worship team for several years at Wellspring Church in Mays Landing and at New Life Assembly. At ACS, Evangelina sings and plays piano in the High School Worship Team that leads worship weekly in Upper School Chapel. She also volunteers each week to share devotions with her classmates during homeroom. She is a Student Council officer and a Varsity member of the girls’ basketball, soccer, and softball teams.

High school math teacher Gina Wilson described Evangelina in her recommendation letter as “a hard worker, self-motivated, and a leader among her peers.”  She also noted that Evangelina is committed to missions work as a member of the ACS Missions Club and is involved in helping local charities and traveling to help those in need.

ACS Upper School Principal Meg McHale and Elementary Principal Gail Alford headed up the effort to select and nominate Evangelina and two other ACS students for the Carson Scholars Fund scholarship and said they plan to continue nominating ACS students for this annual scholarship program. The Carson Scholars Fund will only select one new student from a school each year.

 

Check Out the 2022 Spring Schedule of After-School Classes

After-school gymnastics classes led by Blake’s Gymnastics for PreK and elementary students kicked off last week — the first offerings in our action-packed and enriching schedule of Spring After-School Classes.  The majority of the classes will start during the first and second weeks of April, with something for students from preschool to high school, including Intramural Cheerleading, Flag Football, Garden Club, Intro to Sign Language, Soccer, Crochet, Private Voice, Band, and Piano Lessons, and more.

The spring schedule, with the description of the classes, start dates, and fees, was sent home last week to students from PreK3 to 6th grade, along with registration forms. The schedule and registration forms are also on the school’s website under the “Programs” tab and are in the school office. Please send payment with the registration form to the school office or bring to the first class.

CLICK HERE to view and download the schedule and registration forms.

ACS Launching New Track Club This Week, Athletes to Compete in Several Meets

A new Track Club for students in grades 6-12 is launching this week, with 45 students expected to gather for the first after-school practice on Wednesday, March 30. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner, who is heading up the club, said ACS athletes will be competing in at least four track meets that are scheduled for this spring, including the Mid-Atlantic Christian School Association track meet on April 26 and 27 at Messiah University in Pennsylvania.

“Our goal is to introduce another sport at ACS and give our students who have gifts and talents in different areas a chance to develop and grow those abilities,” Hitchner said.  PE teacher Josh Clark and faculty member Drew Carney, who has experience as a distance runner, will be assisting Hitchner in training the athletes in the club. ACS parent Harold Scott is also donating a javelin and will be training students for competition.

Hitchner said a new long jump runway and sand pit were installed on the campus this week, relocated to an area parallel to the ACS track, thanks to material and services donated by Ralph Clayton and assistance from ACS staff.  The track club members will also be competing with new ACS track shirts, made possible in part by gifts from several donors.

ACS will host a dual track meet on May 17 against King’s Christian School and plans are in discussion for ACS athletes to compete in meets with schools in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League. ACS will also be hosting the annual Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference track meet on May 12 and throwing a javelin will be added to the meet.

There is a $50 athletic fee for participation in the Track Club and practices will be weekly on Wednesdays. Hitchner said students who play on an ACS baseball or softball team can also participate in the Track Club and will not have to choose one or the other.

Cheer Team Heading to National Competition in VA this Weekend, Thankful for Funds Raised from Bowling Night, Popcorn, Food Sales

The ACS Cheerleading Team is heading to THE ONE FINALS cheer competition in Virginia Beach, Virginia to be held April 1-3 and they are grateful to the many school families and friends who participated in King Pin Bowling Night or purchased bags of Chef Steve’s popcorn, baked goods, and walking tacos that helped raise over $5,000 in funds needed to underwrite their competition expenses.

“We are so excited to be representing ACS at this competition and we are blessed to have the support of our school families and friends in the community who have made our fundraisers a success,” said Morgan Gibson, head coach of the 23-member cheerleading squad of middle school and high school students. The cheer team received an invitation to THE ONE FINALS competition after winning first place on February 12 in Toms River at the ImpACT Competition, in the JV Intermediate Division.

Gibson said additional funds to support the team’s expenses will be raised from two after-school intramural cheer classes that will be offered this spring — one for PK3 to 1st grade students on Thursdays from April 7 to May 26, and one for 2nd to 5th grade students on Mondays from April 11 to May 23. The sign-up forms for these classes have been sent home and are on the ACS website.

ACS staff member Arzum Sanchez, who has helped organize the cheer team fundraisers, said close to 150 people attended the bowling night on March 18 and while there, they also purchased tasty home-made baked goods. “The bowling alley was packed with ACS families and friends and everyone was laughing and having a great time,” Sanchez said.

Photo credits: PJ Santos.

 

Three 8th Graders Named to Post-Season South Jersey Future Stars Basketball Teams

Three ACS 8th grade basketball players were selected in mid-March to be on the South Jersey Future Stars Teams for Atlantic County. These talented and hard-working athletes — Gianna Flynn, Caden Kim, and Jericho Thomas — played in showcase games on March 19 and were then chosen to be part of a select squad that advanced to play against Future Stars Cape May/Cumberland boys’ and girls’ teams on March 25 in Whitesboro.

“We’re very proud of our players who really represented ACS well and even advanced to the second round of all-star competition,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. The boys’ and girls’ Future Stars basketball games for Atlantic County were hosted at ACS.

“Our three players were leaders on their ACS teams during regular season competition in the Cape Atlantic Junior High League,” Hitchner said. “We can’t wait to see them continue to grow and develop as they move up to play on our ACS high school teams.”

Way to go,  Caden, Gianna, and Jericho!

High Schoolers Receive Self Defense Training in New PE Health Unit

Students in the 11th and 12th grades received hands-on training in self defense using jiu-jitsu as part of a new, two-week PE unit in March on health and safety, led by Stephen McGee, owner of 609 Jiu-Jitsu and Fitness in Egg Harbor Township.

Athletic Director Pam Hitchner set up the special class instruction to introduce students to ways they can defend themselves in different situations, which she feels is an important life skill.

“We have chapters in our health textbook on safety and rather than reading about it, our students are getting hands-on training on how to defend yourself in a threatening situation to be able to run and get away,” Hitchner said.

Hitchner said McGee used the teaching technique of demonstrating a situation and the various ways to react and then overseeing the students as they practiced what they had seen. The students learned different body stances, ways to get out of grips and holds, and the importance of always being aware of your surroundings and to be scanning your environment.

“We had 100% participation from our students,” Hitchner said. “They really liked what they learned and understood how valuable it is.” Hitchner said McGee also offered each student one free self defense class at his martial arts studio.

 

 

AtlantiCare Selects 5th Grader Gaebriel Hahn-Chaney as a Winner in Green Mustache Photo Contest

A photo featuring ACS 5th grader Gaebriel Hahn-Chaney sporting a thick green mustache after sampling a healthy fruit and spinach smoothie during lunch in early May was recently selected as a winner in the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, Healthy Children “Green Mustache Day” photo contest. Gaebriel received an award certificate from AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, Healthy Children and a $50 VISA card to be used by his teacher, Ms. Lorick, to support a health and wellness activity for his class.

Gaebriel was presented with his certificate and gift card during class on March 25, after his win was shared with the student body during Morning Announcements.  In the winning photo (pictured below left), Gaebriel posed with two other classmates, Chase Hagel and Gabriel Hudec, and all three also received sporty blue water pouches from AtlantiCare.

Students from the 1st to 6th grades sampled healthy green smoothies as part of “Green Mustache Day” on March 2 and posed for photos taken by ACS staff. Three of the best photos featuring nine students showing off their green mustaches were submitted to the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools Program to be entered into the photo contest.

 

 

Classroom Cameo: 5th Grade Science Poster Project Focuses on Ecosystems

Elementary school students in 5th grade recently researched ecosystems during a science unit taught by faculty member Nadya Lorick and created colorful, hand-drawn posters illustrating the different ways animals can interact within those ecosystems.

The students used a cartoon strip-like format to tell the story of the way animals interact in one of three ecosystems — a savannah, the ocean, and a temperate forest.

The students worked in pairs during class from February 28 to March 4 to research their assigned ecosystem and identify its atmosphere, climate, vegetation, and animal life. The students also learned about three ways animals can interact — by predation, competition, and mutualism — and showed examples of each in their posters.

 

 

Register Now for May 5 Cougar Classic Golf Tournament

Registration is now underway for our Cougar Classic Golf Tournament to be held on Thursday, May 5 at the Greate Bay Country Club, a beautiful private golf course in Somers Point.  Join us for a fun day together on the golf course and help raise funds for our school. If you don’t golf, we welcome ACS families, staff, alumni, and friends to join us in the evening for a Celebration Reception, Awards Dinner, and Silent Auction at the club. There are also Tournament Sponsorship and Advertising options.

“We look forward to seeing our school families and friends in the community at our biggest spring fundraiser, which is an enjoyable time to fellowship and celebrate how God has blessed and grown our school over the past 51 years,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We hope everyone will get involved and help make this fundraiser a success.”

The Golfer Fee is $165 per golfer and $625 for a foursome, and includes lunch, the Celebration Reception, the Awards Dinner, and Silent Suction.  Tickets to just the Celebration Reception, Awards Dinner, and Silent Auction can be purchased separately for $65 each and a donation of $550 sponsors a Dinner Table of 8.  There are also a number of golf sponsorship levels with exciting benefits and advertising opportunities to help raise funds for the school’s Annual Fund, which are described in detail on the Tournament flyer (posted below).

The Tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m., with a scramble format. The Celebration Reception and Silent Auction will open at 6:00 p.m. and the Awards Dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m.  Seating is limited at the dinner, so secure your tickets soon.

The Silent Auction will use mobile bidding with a cell phone, which was successful at last year’s event, and allows people who are unable to attend the Awards Dinner to participate in the Silent Auction. Volunteers are also needed to help contact businesses to obtain donations for the Silent Auction. Please contact PJ Santos, coordinator of the Silent Auction, if you would like to be involved at psantos@acseht.org.

Santos also said that families with children in Kindergarten to the 8th grade will also be asked to donate items linked to a specific theme to create Auction Gift Baskets from each classroom. Information about these Gift Baskets will be sent home next week.

CLICK HERE to register to golf, purchase a sponsorship, purchase an advertisement in the Awards Dinner Program Book, or to purchase tickets to the Celebration Reception, Awards Dinner, and Silent Auction.  Paper sign-up forms have e also being sent home with students and are available in the school office.

Any questions about our Golf Tournament?  Contact Event Coordinator Christian Delacruz at 609-653-1199, ext. 302 or cdelacruz@acseht.org.

Award-Winning Summer Programs Start June 27; Register Now to Reserve Your Child’s Spot

Registration is now open for our popular, award-winning summer camp programs — “Cougar Camp” for children entering grades 1-7 and “Down the Shore” for children from PreK3 to entering kindergarten. The programs will start on Monday, June 27 and conclude on Friday, August 26.  Register online now to reserve your child’s spot.

Over a nine-week period, qualified and trained staff will provide a warm, loving environment with organized activities tied to weekly themes that will combine faith, fun, fellowship, exercise, and education.  Our summer camp programs have been recognized for excellence, winning “Best of the Press” awards since 2017.

CLICK HERE to register your child for one of our summer camp programs. Please note that campers must be signed up to attend four or more weeks and must attend two or more days each week.

The Cougar Camp and Down the Shore program hours will be from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Before and After Care available and included in the camp fee.  All participants must bring their own lunch, but every Friday is pizza day (cost is included in fee). Snacks are also provided daily.

Cougar Camp activities will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Favorite activities include STEM projects, playing ga-ga ball in the air-conditioned gymnasium, drawing and painting, hands-on learning in the school garden, cooking healthy snacks, and plenty of outdoor water play activities. Worshiping God through music and Bible story time are also part of the daily program. Weekly field trips include visiting the Atlantic City Aquarium, Birch Grove Park, and the Funny Farm Rescue, and going miniature golfing and bowling.

Children in the Down the Shore summer program must be at least 3 years old by June 1 and be potty-trained. Preschoolers look forward to the weekly “Water Day” where they enjoy playing in inflatable water slides and pools.

For more information on our summer programs, please contact Jessica Martin at 609-653-1199 ext. 314 or at jmartin@acseht.org.

Congratulations to Top Scholars on First Semester Honor Roll for 2021-2022 School Year

Congratulations to our top scholars who made the first semester Honor Roll for the 2021-2022 school year.  The Honor Roll, finalized in early February, recognizes 291 students from the 1st through 12th grades who distinguished themselves in their academic studies, receiving Highest Honors or Honors designation. The Honor Roll was also published online on March 3 in the Currents and Gazettes newspapers.

“We are very proud of these students from elementary through high school who have distinguished themselves in their academic studies and earned a place on the Honor Roll,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We are also thankful for our dedicated and highly qualified faculty who encourage our students to excel academically and to seek to honor God with their lives.”

Elementary students in grades 1-5 who earned a 95% average or higher in every major subject received the Highest Honors designation and students who received an 85%-94% average in every major subject received the Honors designation. Middle School and High School students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.8 or higher at the end of the school year received the Highest Honors designation. Students in grades 6-12 who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5-3.79 received the Honors designation.

CLICK HERE for a complete list of  the students from elementary through high school who achieved Highest Honors or High Honors.

Cheer Team Preparing for National Competition; Join Us at King Pin Bowling Cheer Fundraiser March 18

On the heels of its first place cheer competition win in February, the ACS Cheer Team is now preparing to compete for the first time in a national competition in early April — THE ONE FINALS in Virginia Beach, Virginia — and fundraising is underway to cover the cost of the trip. Help our cheer team get to Nationals by purchasing a bag of Chef Steve’s Popcorn or come out on March 18 for a family bowling event at King Pin Bowling in Egg Harbor Township.

The cheer team of 23 middle school and high school students received an invitation to THE ONE FINALS competition after winning first place on February 12 in Toms River at the ImpACT Competition, in the JV Intermediate Division.

“Our team is thrilled to have this exciting and first-ever opportunity to compete at the national level,” said Head Coach Morgan Gibson. “We know that we can count on the support from our school families and friends to help us raise the funds we need for the trip.”

Gibson said the fundraising goal is $10,000 to cover transportation, housing, food, registration fees, and other related expenses for the cheerleaders and coaches to attend the competition.

Large bags of Chef Steve’s Popcorn, in six different flavors, are being sold until March 24 for $10 per bag. CLICK HERE to purchase. The popcorn will be delivered to the school.

The bowling outing on March 18 will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at King Pin Bowling at 6622 E. Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township. The cost is $20 per person and includes two games of bowling, shoe rental, and a slice of pizza or chicken nuggets.  CLICK HERE to register. Online registration is preferred, but not required to participate.

In addition to the popcorn sale and bowling outing, the cheer team will also be raising funds by holding two after-school intramural cheerleading clinics — one for PK3 to 1st grade students on Thursdays from April 7 to May 26, and one for 2nd to 5th grade students on Mondays from April 11 to May 23. The sign-up form for these classes will be sent home at the end of next week.

For any questions about these fundraisers, please contact Arzum Sanchez at asanchez@acseht.org.  Thank you for supporting the ACS Cheer Team!

 

 

Cooking Classes Make Fancy Cupcakes for Butterfly Ball

The Butterfly Ball is just one day away, and when the elementary girls arrive with their dads or other family members for an elegant evening of dinner, dancing, and fun, they will be pleasantly surprised by the dessert table spread — featuring a variety of fancy cupcakes made by ACS students in the middle school and high school cooking classes.

“The students were so excited to have the opportunity to showcase their baking and decorating talents for this event,” said faculty member Ruby Lewis, who teaches the two cooking classes that meet twice a week. “They really wanted to make a special treat for the young girls and their dads at the Butterfly Ball.” The ball is for girls in kindergarten to the 5th grade and their dads or other family members, and has become a favorite annual event for ACS families.

Lewis said the students baked and decorated 10 dozen cupcakes for the event.  They made vanilla and chocolate cupcakes and some are gluten free.  “I’m so proud of the work that all the students did,” Lewis said. “The cupcakes look great and they are delicious.”

 

 

 

High School Students Create Video to Promote Driver Safety for Statewide “Just Drive” PSA Contest

An original video to promote teen driver safety created by three ACS high school students has been entered into a statewide “Just Drive” PSA Video Contest, as part of a campaign to focus attention on teen driving safety and reducing teen driving injuries and deaths. The 30-second video, entitled “Limit Distractions,” was created by Eddie Ireland, Summer Scott, and Isaac Choi (pictured here from left) as part of a multi-week project in Rhapsody Hahn-Chaney’s High School Information Technology Class.  ACS is a member of the U Got Brains Champion School Program and received a $1,000 stipend to underwrite the video project and a related social media campaign.

The video created by Choi, Ireland, and Scott was one of four made by different student teams in the class.  Students in the class and in the high school Driver’s Ed class, as well as several teachers and administrators, viewed the four videos and voted to select the video to be submitted for the contest.  The contest is being sponsored by the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, as well as the program’s funder, the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, and its founding sponsor, NJM Insurance Group.

Students in the high school Driver’s Ed class who viewed and cast their votes for their favorite “Just Drive” PSA video.

For the social media campaign, Hahn-Chaney posted four videos from February 22-25 on the ACS Facebook and Instagram pages that reminded teenagers to just drive and avoid distractions when behind the wheel, like being on the phone or eating.  Two of the posts included photos of ACS students as actors in their video PSA projects, recording clips in the parking lot for their videos, and editing a video clip in the ACS computer lab.

Hahn-Chaney said each student team had a creative designer, a director, and an editor. The students planned out shot lists, wrote scripts for voiceover recordings, and spent time in the ACS parking lot taking videos using camera equipment and cell phones.  Back in the classroom, the students edited their videos using various tools such as a screen recording program called Screencastify and video editing software like iMovie and Flixier.

The selected ACS student video will be competing against videos submitted by teams from other New Jersey high schools. The winners of the top videos in the contest will be announced in May. ACS students involved in the video project will also take a field trip to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ on May 26 for the contest Awards Showcase, joining other New Jersey high school students who entered the contest.

CLICK HERE to view the student video being entered into the contest.

12th Grader Aaron Glancey Organizes Middle School Boys Over-Nighter as Senior Project

ACS 12th grader Aaron Glancey is organizing a Middle School Boys Over-Nighter on March 25 at the Ocean City Tabernacle — an event he has chosen to be his Senior Project as part of a year-long Senior Project Class. Aaron announced the event during Upper School Chapel on March 10 and has distributed flyers this week about the over-nighter to ACS middle school boys.

Aaron said the over-nighter is open to middle school boys at ACS and in the community, and he is busy spreading the word about the event to area churches and on social media. Aaron chose to organize this special event for middle school boys because he attended a similar event when he was in 8th grade and remembered the positive impact it had on his life.  Fellow senior, Quinn Schrag, is leading worship at the over-nighter as part of his Senior Project.

The over-nighter will be held from 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 25 to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 26 and there is a $20 registration fee. The evening will include games, refreshments, live worship music, and small group break-out sessions. Aaron and Quinn will lead some of the small group sessions, joined by several adult leaders from area churches.

The Senior Project class is facilitated by faculty member Linda Stiteler. Stiteler said that other students are working a variety of Senior Projects, all with a community service focus and utilizing their individual gifts and talents.  Joshua Schlundt is building a bench to install in Birch Grove Park in Northfield. Mia Liggins is using her talents as a photographer on a project for St. Vincent’s School in Mays Landing. Devin Tridente, a member of the ACS Championship Varsity Basketball team, is organizing an outdoor basketball clinic at ACS in April.

“It’s a very valuable learning and growing experience for our seniors to be responsible for coming up with a unique project and creating it from start to finish,” Stiteler said.  She said writing a letter of intent, writing a research or reflection paper, and doing an oral presentation to the class are also required elements for every project.

CLICK HERE for more information and to register for the Middle School Boys Overnighter.

 

Six New Cafeteria Tables Gifted to ACS this School Year, Provide Additional Seating for Growing Student Body

Students are enjoying lunch on six new cafeteria tables that were purchased using gifts from several individuals, the Parent-Teacher Fellowship, and a local church. The first two tables were received in time for the start of the school year in September and four additional tables were installed in late February.

Several of the donors gathered in the Multi-Purpose Room on March 4 to examine the new tables. Pictured in the photo seated at one of the new tables are, from left: PTF President Terry Vogel; PTF Board members Polly Ellison and Amanda Costello; Services Coordinator and alumni parent Anne Block; and Pastor Don Waltermyer of Hope Community Church.

“We are very grateful for the donations we received over this school year that have enabled us to purchase these new cafeteria tables,” said Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen. “We saw significant growth in our enrollment this year and we needed additional seating for our students.”  Oblen said the new tables, made by National Public Seating, cost $1,200 each in the fall and increased to $1,400 each this winter.

PTF President Terry Vogel said the PTF donated $2,000 toward the purchase of the tables from this year’s fundraisers, including the Philly Pretzel Mondays, PTF Popcorn Wednesdays, and the sale of ACS SpiritWear.  “We want to thank our school families for supporting these fundraisers because the funds are given back to the school to purchase necessary equipment and classroom support for our teachers,” Vogel said.

Block made her donation in a creative way — asking family and friends to donate to ACS on the occasion of her 60th birthday. She then designated those gifts for the purchase of a table.  Hope Community Church meets at ACS on Sunday mornings and Pastor Don said the church wanted to bless ACS with a gift to support its important ministry with the youth in the community.

Oblen said she anticipates a need to add at least two new cafeteria tables for the coming school year as the school’s enrollment continues to grow. Anyone interested in making a gift for a cafeteria table should contact Development and Communication Director Carole Karabashian at ckarabashian@acseht.org.

Students Sample Healthy Fruit & Spinach Smoothies for Green Mustache Day

Nearly 300 students from the 1st to 6th grades showed off their green mustaches on Wednesday, March 2 after sampling healthy smoothies during lunch made with fruit and spinach. It was all part of “Green Mustache Day,” a fun annual activity that ACS sponsors as part of its membership in the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, Healthy Children program.

Photos were taken of groups of students after they sampled the smoothies and made green mustaches on their upper lips with the drink. Students who sampled the smoothies also received a green paper mustache as a fun reward. A number of faculty and staff also sampled the smoothies and posed for photos.

A staff panel selected three group photos to submit to an AtlantiCare contest. One of the photos could be selected to receive a $50 VISA card, which will go to the classroom of the students in the photo. The photos in the running are from Mrs. Meza’s 2nd grade class, Mrs. McCarthy’s 3rd grade class, and Ms. Lorick’s 5th grade class.

Thank you to the students in the middle school and high school cooking classes, under the direction of faculty member Ruby Lewis, who made four gallons of the smoothies for our students to sample, cutting up the fruit and adding them with other ingredients into a blender.

For families who would like to try making this healthy smoothie at home, here’s the recipe that makes 32 ounces:

2 ripe frozen bananas
1 apple, chopped
2 cups fresh chopped spinach (can also use kale)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup cold water

Leading NJ Cardiothoracic Surgeon Teaches ACS Students About Heart Transplants, Benefits of Organ Donations

11th and 12th grade students had the special opportunity on March 9 to meet and talk via livestream with Dr. Margarita Camacho, a leading New Jersey cardiothoracic surgeon at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, to learn about organ transplants and the benefits of being an organ donor.  During the meeting, the students watched a pre-recorded video of Dr. Camacho doing a full heart transplant and an implant of a LVAV machine, while listening to her explain the delicate procedures involved in the operations.

Twenty-six students who are part of three different high school science classes came together for the two-hour Zoom presentation. The students were from the Honors Anatomy and Physiology class, the Intro to Health and Medicine class, and the Biology 2 class, in which students can earn dual college credits from Atlantic Cape Community College.

Faculty member Celine Melody, who teaches the Biology 2 and the Intro to Health and Medicine classes, organized the livestream, which was facilitated by the Liberty Science Center.  She said the presentation began with a representative from the NJ Sharing Network educating the students about organ donations and encouraging them to consider being organ donors. A second speaker was a heart transplant recipient, who shared his story about how an organ donation saved his life. The final speaker was Dr. Camacho.

“Our students had the opportunity to ask questions of Dr. Camacho, who was very kind and engaging,” Melody said. “Overall, our students were very impressed and loved the experience. Many of them said they were inspired by the work the doctor did and were encouraged to consider becoming organ donors once they reached the age of 18.”

Students Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday, Helps Make Reading Fun

ACS preschool and elementary students and teachers celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2 as part of Read Across America Day — a national campaign that focuses on motivating children to be lifelong readers.

One of Dr. Seuss’ books– “Wacky Wednesday” — was the inspiration for students and teachers to come to school dressed up in colorful, mismatched clothes, wigs, and hats, and with wacky hairdos.

Several parents and high school students visited various classrooms to read aloud favorite Dr. Seuss books. The school library had a large variety of Dr. Seuss books on display for students to check out. Kindergarten classes even enjoyed a special snack of green eggs and ham. It was all about making reading fun.

New Batting Cage Installed in Time for Baseball, Softball Seasons

A new batting cage is open and ready for use by students on the ACS middle school and high school baseball and softball teams, built by the ACS facilities staff during the first week of March.

“We are very blessed to have a facilities team that was able to envision and build this new batting cage, just in time for the baseball and softball seasons,” said Athletic Director Pam Hitchner. “The COVID-19 pandemic limited our seasons over the past two years, so we’re looking forward to a full season and this new batting cage will help strengthen our skills when we go up to bat.”

Facilities Manager Jonathan Ireland oversaw the four-day project to build the 40-foot by 18-foot wood-framed cage, with assistance from facilities staff members Cisco Bernardino and Bill Smallwood. Ireland also enlisted help from local builder Mike Angerman, who donated his services to drill the 4-foot-deep holes for the wood support beams.

Hitchner said this new cage replaces an earlier metal-frame cage that was damaged in a storm.  “This new cage is built sturdy and strong and should last us for a number of years,” Hitchner said.

 

We’re No. 1! ACS Varsity Boys’ Basketball Team Wins TSCAC Championship; Varsity Girls Finish in 2nd Place

The ACS Varsity Boys’ Basketball team won the 2022 Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship game on Saturday, February 26, beating Pilgrim Academy 51-42 before a standing-room-only crowd at the Gloucester County Christian School gym in Sewell. This is the third consecutive year that our Varsity Boys’ team has brought home the championship trophy.  The Lady Cougars , who finished in first place in the regular season, lost a heart-breaker by one point — 40-39 — to Gloucester County Christian School in the girls’ championship game on Saturday.

Four ACS players on the Varsity Boys’ team were named TSCAC All-Stars and presented with medals hanging from a green lanyard — Sr. guard #3 Aaron Glancey (1st team), #2 Sr. Devin Tridente and #11 Jr. Caleb Vogel (2nd team), and #33 Soph. Noah Gibbs (Honorable Mention). All four All-Stars made significant contributions to the team during the championship game.  Glancey had 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and five steals.  Vogel led on offense with 16 points, and Gibbs and Tridente both scored 10 points.

The Lady Cougars Basketball team received their trophy for earning 1st place in the regular season of the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference.

On the Lady Cougars team, four players were named TSCAC All-Stars and received special medals — #3 Jr. Paige Noble (1st team), #24 Jr. Maddie DeNick and #12 Soph. Evangelina Kim (2nd team), and #11 Jr. Reyna Lewis (Honorable Mention), who was sidelined on Saturday after sustaining an injury in the 3rd quarter.

The Varsity Boys’ championship game started off with Glancey, the team’s strongest player on offense and defense, picking up two fouls in the first two minutes and having to take the bench. The team kept the score close until Glancey could re-enter the game in the 2nd quarter. Vogel then started making his mark on offense, scoring 8 of his 16 points during that period.  Just before the clock ran out at halftime, Tridente hit a huge three-pointer to push the ACS lead to 9 going into the break.

Throughout the 3rd quarter, ACS turned up the intensity on defense, consistently forcing Pilgrim to scramble and commit multiple turnovers. ACS was able to hold Pilgrim forward Connor Storr, who later earned the TSCAC MVP award, to just 2 points in the quarter and 15 points for the game, after he had averaged over 20 points per game during the regular season. Taking a 14-point lead in the 4th quarter, ACS kept control of the game and made multiple foul shots down the stretch to finish with the 51-42 victory.

We are grateful to Coach Drew Carney and assistant coaches Ben Chapman and Dan Carney for an exciting season and for the many hours of hard work that helped develop a Varsity Boys’ team that steadily improved and persevered.  Thank you also to Lady Cougars head coach Kaylee Breunig and assistant coach Dara Kimmerley for building up a winning team that had no seniors and not one returning starter from last year. Congratulations to the coaches and players for a memorable season.  Photo credit: Mia Liggins, Arzum Sanchez.

 

 

4th Grader Madelyn Petrinec Wins ACS Spelling Bee, Advances to March 12 Scripps S. Jersey Regional Bee

Congratulations to 4th grader Madelyn Petrinec for winning our school Spelling Bee on February 17, rising to the top spot among 21 competitors from the 1st to 8th grades after 2 hours and 43 rounds of competition. Madelyn will move on to represent ACS at the Scripps South Jersey Regional Spelling Bee in Vineland on Saturday, March 12. We’ll be rooting for you, Madelyn!

Coming in second place was 7th grader Garrett Martin. 4th grader Tamara Kulov placed third, staying in the Bee through the first 21 rounds. Garrett and Madelyn then went head to head for another 21 rounds before Garrett misspelled “Chelonia” and Madelyn correctly spelled “justaucorps.”

Parents, teachers, and students were on hand in the gym to watch the bee and applaud between rounds. The 21 students from the 1st to 8th grades who competed in the bee had either won or placed runner up in classroom bees held in January.

Under the guidance of Spelling Bee Advisor Jessica Martin, the students had a month to prepare for the all-school bee by studying a list of 450 words provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Martin was also the pronouncer for the Bee.

The top 21 spellers who competed in the Bee, by grade level, were:

  • 1st Grade: Grigory Kagramanov, Molly Klinetob, and Carson Myers
  • 2nd Grade: Alexander Dimashi, Grace Petrinec, and Olivia Smith
  • 3rd Grade: Caitlin Doucett, Sofia Huezo, and Khaleesi Nyanankpe
  • 4th Grade: Joey Kinch, Tamara Kulov, and Madelyn Petrinec
  • 5th Grade: Mia Gaffney, Gaebriel Hahn-Chaney, and Reese Resnick
  • 6th Grade: Matthew Coates and Caelyn Domsic
  • 7th Grade: Caedyn Hahn-Chaney and Garrett Martin
  • 8th Grade: Marcus Anderson and Gabriella Goodwin

 

 

Varsity Basketball Teams Heading to TSCAC Championship Round Saturday After Winning Semi-Final Playoff Games

Congratulations to our Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Teams for winning their semi-final playoff games on Thursday night to secure a spot in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Championship Games on Saturday, February 26. We are proud of you!

The Thursday night playoff games, played in the ACS gym before a crowd of fired-up fans, got underway with the Lady Cougars facing off against Cumberland Christian School and defeating them 56-13. Jr. Paige Noble led the team on offense with 18 points and four assists, and also pulled down five rebounds. Other key players in the game were Jr. Maddie DeNick, who scored 11 points and had 7 rebounds, and Soph. Evangelina Kim, who had 8 points and 6 steals.

The Varsity Boys’ game followed after, with ACS beating King’s Christian School 46-39 in a hard fought battle.  ACS trailed King’s Christian by 2 at half-time and by as many as 8 to start the 3rd quarter. But ACS went on an 18-0 run from the end of the 3rd quarter through the start of the 4th quarter to seize control of the game. Soph. Noah Gibbs and Jr. Caleb Vogel carried the team down the stretch on offense, scoring 17 of the team’s 24 second half points. Vogel finished with 13 points and Gibbs with 12. Other high scorers were Sr. Devin Tridente with 12 points and Sr. Aaron Glancey with 8 points.

The Lady Cougars, under head coach Kaylee Breunig, finished in first place in the regular season, with a 7-1 record, and are advancing to the TSCAC championship final for the eighth straight year. They will play Gloucester Country Christian School on Saturday at 3 p.m.  The Varsity Boys’ team, under head coach Drew Carney, placed second in the regular season, with an 8-2 record, and will play Pilgrim Academy in the Championship final at 5 p.m. Both games will be played at Gloucester County Christian School, which is located at 151 Golf Club Road in Sewell.

Come on out and cheer our Cougars on to victory! Go Cougars!

 

 

 

ACS Students Show their Love and Appreciation for their Pastors

We love our pastors! ACS students and staff showed their love and appreciation for their pastors at a Pastor Appreciation Breakfast and Chapel on Thursday, Feb. 17. ACS students attend over 115 different churches across South Jersey.

Pastor Tony Montemurro of Calvary Chapel Gateway gave an encouraging message to the some 30 pastors who attended the Pastor’s Breakfast. A number of students also had the opportunity to talk and share with pastors at the breakfast. ACS elementary and high school students spent several weeks during art class creating beautiful artwork in honor of the pastors that were displayed on every breakfast table. Hand-written thank-you messages from students to their pastors were also given to the pastors who attended the breakfast and later mailed to those who were unable to attend.

During the student-led chapel, which followed the breakfast, featured speaker 11th grader Hunter Jorgenson also thanked the pastors for being strong spiritual leaders and mentors.  Jorgenson shared about what he learned during a personal devotion reading through the book of 1st Corinthians.  “All of us face daily struggles, even our pastors, but the Bible says that our toil, efforts, struggle and pain are not in vain, because in the end we will received the prize of eternal life,” Jorgenson said.

The chapel also featured various students from preschool to high school worshiping God and expressing their love and appreciation for their pastors through instrumental and vocal presentations, reciting scripture, and a special video in which students talk about why they love their pastors and churches.   CLICK HERE to view the video, which is posted on the ACS YouTube Channel.

 

 

 

Class Projects, Chapel Speaker, Trivia Contest Help Focus Students on Black History

Throughout February, ACS students from preschool to high school participated in a variety of special activities and class projects for Black History Month. Bulletin boards, library displays, classroom assignments, and a trivia contest during morning announcements helped shine a spotlight on the history, culture, and accomplishments of Black Americans.

The quiz contest ran for two weeks in February and a total of 8 African Americans were highlighted as well as a quiz question on the 13th amendment. Students were told a fact about an influential Black American and were able to qualify to win a prize by being the first to find their Principal and correctly identify that person. Information about the noteworthy individuals and the 13th amendment were displayed on a large bulletin board in the Multi-Purpose Room.

On February 3, Elementary and Upper School students welcomed chapel speaker Christian Ragland, who spoke on the Biblical principles around diversity and inclusion. “Jesus lived by example and taught us to be kind to each other and to love our neighbors as ourselves,” Ragland said. “If you want to be God’s ambassador, you should not make assumptions about others because they are different from you. Ask questions and find ways to use what makes someone different to benefit the whole.” Ragland is the operations pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Pleasantville and is Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AtlantiCare.

 

A variety of classroom lessons and projects highlighted the historical contributions of African Americans and celebrated God’s plan for creating unity from diversity. Below are examples of some of these projects.